Exploring Bracketing and Social Justice in a Constructivist Grounded Theory Study

Currently, professional literature supporting the practice of counseling both substantiates the removal of counselors' personal values from practice as well as the enaction of social justice. At times, there are ethical dilemmas in which personal values are implicated in enacting social justice, and extant literature is yet to address these ethical dilemmas. This purpose of this study was to explore how practicing counselors negotiate the relationship between their personal values and enacting social justice in their work with clients. The research question addressed the decision-making process regarding bracketing personal values and social justice. 18 counselors participated in two rounds of semi-structured interviews as well as member checks in the process of co-collaborating a theory of bracketing decision-making. Data was analyzed through the use of grounded theory methodology and the emergent theory provided a model for bracketing decision-making. The model includes the impact of guiding forces and clinical practice on catching the existence of a dilemma and the application of insight derived from ethics, stakeholders, environment, social justice, actions, and barriers. This tool can be used in counselor education, supervision, and clinical practice.

Author

• Riedy Rush, Cassandra

Language

• en

Keyword

• Ethics
• Social justice
• Counseling
• Bracketing

Date created

• 2022

Type of Work

• Dissertation

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Counseling

Degree

• Ph.D.

Advisor

• Peters, Harvey C

Committee Member(s)

• Froehlich, Robert
• Hicks, Janet

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/2b88qd055